Hashimoto's encephalopathy masquerading as acute psychosis.

Abstract

Hashimoto's encephalopathy (HE) is a relapsing, but exquisitely corticosteroid-responsive encephalopathy associated with autoimmune thyroiditis. Although a rare disease, with just over 100 cases reported, it may be under-recognised. Its presentation can be protean with prominent neuropsychiatric features, stroke-like episodes, seizures and myoclonic jerks. Prompt corticosteroid treatment usually leads to rapid recovery. Here we report a patient with HE, initially presenting with florid neuropsychiatric symptoms. Recent developments in the understanding of this condition are discussed.

• Authors: R A Wilcox, T To, A Koukourou, J Frasca
• Journal: Journal of clinical neuroscience : official journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia (J Clin Neurosci) Vol. 15 Issue 11 Pg. 1301-4 (Nov 2008) ISSN: 0967-5868 [Print] Scotland
• PMID: 18313925 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Acute Disease
• Adult
• Brain Diseases (complications, pathology)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Electroencephalography (methods)
• Female
• Hashimoto Disease (complications, pathology)
• Humans
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (methods)
• Psychotic Disorders (etiology)